


Come With Me

by Sarah Problem (SarahProblem)



Series: Come With Me [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anal Sex, Complete, Established Relationship, M/M, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 04:02:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10153247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahProblem/pseuds/Sarah%20Problem
Summary: A vacation on Risa. What could go wrong?(Seriously, you had to ask?)





	

 

Come With Me

by Sarah Problem

 

Doctor Leonard McCoy looked around his shared bedroom one more time. The feeling that he was forgetting something bugging him like an unscratched itch. He'd opened every drawer he and Jim had and had gone through his duffle bag twice. Yet he still couldn’t shake the annoying feeling.

"Hey, Jim!"

"Yeah?" came the reply from the other side of the room divider.

"Did you pack the sunscreen or was I supposed to?"

"I got it," Jim Kirk said with exasperation. "Just like I told you the last time you asked."

"Well, you can't be too careful," McCoy muttered as he eyed his duffle bag. It was full to bursting with clothing and supplies for their four days and three night's vacation on Risa. The most famous pleasure planet in the Galaxy. He'd even changed clothes twice, finally settling on a dark brown cotton pull-over and some of his oldest jeans. He wasn't sure if he felt over-dressed for sight-seeing or under-dressed for visiting a new planet. If there  _was_  such a thing as being under-dressed as a tourist. Especially on Risa, where the natives were said to be easy going, polite and sexually progressive.

Jim leaned around the partition, his voice scolding but his eyes fond. "Yes. You  _can_ be too careful. Maybe other people can't, but  _you_  can. C'mon, Bones. It's  _Risa_! The famous pleasure planet! I’m sure that whatever we forget they'll have down there."

"Just because you think so, doesn't mean they will," McCoy griped. "And if they do, it'll be at five times the going price. Maybe ten."

Jim, wearing a large white t-shirt and his own well-love jeans, came over and wrapped his arms around McCoy from behind. His breath warm on the side of McCoy's neck, his cheek soft from having just shaved. He smelled fresh from the shower with a hint of the soap he loved to steal from McCoy. "But well worth it, I'm sure. C'mon, Bones! Quit fussing and get your ass in gear. The shuttle leaves in an hour, and we still have to transport down to it. I want to get good seats."

"I know." McCoy turned in Jim's arms and gave him a peck on the lips. He  _should_  feel excited, like Jim did. But instead, he just felt a bit… unsettled. "I just want to be prepared, you know? Almost every time we go down to a planet something happens. And if we're not supposed to beam down straight from the ship, what happens in an emergency and we need to beam up?"

"Then we figure out how to circumvent the transport blockers and beam up," Jim answered with a shrug. He grabbed McCoy's shoulders, studying his face. McCoy always felt like he was under a spotlight when those bright blue eyes took him in. "Bones, you can't be on call  _all_ the time. You're allowed to just be a normal human being and not worry about everyone around you. You had a bad couple of weeks, and you need some time to deal with it. You can't do that if you keep beating yourself up about things you didn't cause and can't change."

McCoy felt his stomach tighten a bit. He and the others on his med-team had been through hell and back only a few weeks ago. An emergency call from a Mazarite transport ship had led them to discover a vicious form of mold had infested the ship's basic food supply. They'd all been horribly poisoned. By the time the Enterprise had arrived at the floundering ship, all McCoy and his team could do for most of the passengers, many of them families with small children, was to give them as much comfort as they could as they died. Nothing they had tried to do to help them had worked. Only those who hadn't eaten much of the poisoned food had survived.

_Maybe I **could** have changed things if I'd only figured out the problem earlier. If I'd had better information on the Mazarite's in the first place. All those kids..._

In his dreams, McCoy still wandered around both the Enterprise and the Mazarite ship as they'd been during that time, packed with the dying passengers. The sick and suffering adults were bad enough, but it was the kids that haunted him. He, and by extension Jim, had had a lot of bad nights the last few weeks.

_Occupational hazard for doctors, it seems. Either we see so much death it starts to make us numb, or we feel it too much and it tears us apart. Is there ever any in-between?_

It had only been a couple of months since McCoy moved in permanently with Jim, as his partner and lover. As a real couple. They'd been roommates at the academy, but this was vastly different and McCoy wanted so much for it to go well. But he didn't feel like his nightmares had helped them any.

_Being so needy isn't the best way to start a relationship. I know we_ **need**   _these few days off, to just be ourselves. Especially around people who don't expect us to be on-duty, and won't be shocked or scandalized if we held hands. Hell, we haven't even done that outside of this room or the MedBay yet. And Jim needs the break. He works hard. He needs to play hard or he'll burn out. I know all this. So why can't I get in the mood and leave the past alone?_

McCoy gave Jim what he knew must have been a sickly smile. "Sorry, Jim. I know it's our first real vacation together. I don't mean to drag you down."

"You're not," Jim said, giving McCoy a friendly shake and a huge smile. "You just need a little jump start, is all. That's why I want us to make that shuttle. I want to show you the room I've got booked for us."

That reminded him of something Nyota had said as she'd passed him in the hall earlier. "By the way, I thought we were going to play it by ear during our vacation? Not make any plans."

"Yeah, about that..." Jim suddenly looked a little guilty. He turned and walked back to the living area, throwing a quick jumble of words over his shoulder. "I-sorta-kinda-made-plans-for-all-four-days."

"You what?" McCoy asked, surprised and now feeling a little put out. "I thought we were supposed to decide _together_."

"I  _know_ ," Jim said as he grabbed his duffle bag, which wasn't nearly as full as McCoy's. He didn't actually look at McCoy when he explained. "But you've been feeling down, and I wanted to make sure that we both enjoy our time on Risa. So I made plans and got everything paid for. My treat." He turned and gave McCoy his best ' _don’t be mad at me I love you'_ smile. "It's  _Risa_ , Bones! Who knows when we'll ever be here again?"

McCoy sighed. How could he be mad at the kid when he got so enthused? "Okay. I'll deal with it since you're the one going broke over it. But no bars, right?" They'd both made a pact that now that they were a couple, they'd actually try to sight-see like normal people. When it came down to it, a bar on one planet or space station looked pretty much like a bar in another. And McCoy didn't even want to know how many planets it took for them to realize that.

"No bars," Jim said happily. "I promise. The other plans I want to be a surprise as it happens."

"You mean, like the surprise of meeting up with Spock and Uhura for lunch?"

Jim scrunched up his face. "Aw… did Uhura spill the beans?"

"She said she'd see us later, at lunch. Today's their last day of leave."

"She didn't mention anything else?"

"No," McCoy said, suddenly suspicious.

"Oh, good," Jim said with relief and jogged past McCoy and back into the bedroom to McCoy's bag. "You're done. What you don't have, you can buy or use mine. Let's get to the transporters so we can beam down to the moon. I want a good seat down to the planet."

"Shuttle," McCoy said, suddenly weary at the thought. "All the way down to the planet."

Jim just laughed. "I'll just have to keep your mind off of it, Bones. Maybe if the 'fresher is big enough for two…"

"Oh, don't tempt me," McCoy said with a slight smile as he followed Jim to the door. "I can just see us getting caught doing something in that 'fresher even the Risians would object to. I don't intend to spend any of my vacation in  _detention_ , thanks!"

The door snicked shut behind them. A good five seconds later McCoy came marching back in, feeling sheepish. Going to the living area, he grabbed his communicator off the coffee table and stuffed it into his pocket. That nagging certainty that he'd forgotten something suddenly gone.

Once back into the corridor, he found Jim watching him and shaking his head.

_Well, I may need it! Just because you've got yours doesn't make us safe!_

Once they'd beamed down to Risa's smallest moon, McCoy had to admit that it hadn't taken long to feel like he was finally getting away from work. The space around the planet was crowded with visiting ships, and McCoy could see why they'd blocked transporting on and off the planet. It would have been a madhouse to have those who could beam doing so willy-nilly down to the planet. As it was, the shuttle terminal was packed with a large variety of species. Some came in large groups, and some in small ones. Some were all adults, some not quite mature, and quite a few had small children. Some McCoy knew were local to the system and some he suspected had been ferried from Starbase 12, having arrived there on other ships.

Not having the itinerary, McCoy just followed Jim through the crowd. Jim checked his comm a few times, checking for the time of departure and shuttle designation. Once he got situated they carried their bags down to a shuttle at the far end of the line.

"Here we are," Jim said as they approached a passenger shuttle that looked like all the others. It was a small, 60 seater with huge viewports. The kind where the transparent metal started at seat level and went up and over their heads until almost to the center of the roof. It made it look like someone had left all the doors open and a person could get flung out into space.

_Oh, good. I'll feel like I'm falling all the way down. How touristy. Window seat for Jim! I'll just hold his hand so I don't feel like I'm going to float out,_ he thought, which gave him another idea.

They gave their bags to the attendant, who took them to the back to be loaded. As they entered the shuttle, McCoy was glad to see there were two seats left at the back, together. He pushed Jim in ahead of them so he could sit by the viewport.

"The planet is  _so_  gorgeous," Jim said happily, strapping himself in his seat. "Bones, I know you're gonna love the view. Just don’t… you know."

"What, you mean barf all over you?" McCoy said with a huff. "At least I'm not hungover like I was that time.

"I know," Jim admitted with a wince at the memory. "But you'll never get used to it if you keep avoiding it."

"If I keep avoiding it, I won't  _have_  to get used to it," McCoy said casually, an eyebrow raised. "At least we know you have a change of clothes this time."

Just as Jim was giving him a concerned look, the shuttle doors closed and the attendant gave the same shuttle safety speech they always did. Soon it lifted off and they were officially on their way to Risa.

"Bones! Look at that! That place must have a million miles of beach," Jim said with awe as the shuttle shifted sideways to give its passengers the best view. "I'll have to ask Spock."

McCoy had seen it from the Enterprise, and that had been enough for him. Instead, he kept his eyes down and looked at Jim's right hand, which was gripping the armrest between them. He reached over and took it, pulling it from the divider. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jim turn to smile at him and took McCoy's hand in his and squeezed it.

_It's nice to be able to hold hands. But that's not what I want to do now._

Instead, he released his grip on Jim's hand and turned it palm up. Then, very carefully, he started massaging one of the three muscles that moved Jim's thumb.

_Kid's got really nice hands. A workman's hands. Nice and broad, without the fingers being stubby._

McCoy had always liked hands. They were usually some of the most complicated appendages a species had. The more sensitive the hands, or manipulative appendages, the more a species could affect their environment. The study of human hands had been his favorite class in med school. In a human, there were 30 muscles in the hand and forearm. He knew the name and placement of all of them.

Jim's hand stayed relaxed, fingers curled up and at rest. Kirk's hands were a nice size, broad with a nice finger spread. McCoy had longer fingers, which helped when doing surgery or delicate work. But he felt Jim's were more nicely shaped. Jim took care of his hands, keeping his nails trimmed and buffed. But he was not shy about getting them dirty or damaged.

McCoy dug into the muscle, hard enough to almost hurt. He took his time and spread his ministrations to the neighboring muscles. Most people thought there was just one big muscle there, under the skin by the thumb. But to achieve the astounding range of motion, humans needed three just in that one spot alone.

_Hands are meant to be used. I love it when he shows how dexterous he is. He's so expressive with them, in and out of bed. He should play an instrument. An acoustic guitar. He'd be good at it. Maybe if he did that'd get me back to the keyboard I spent so much time at. If I can even remember how to read music anymore. We could make some good music together, someday._

He massaged slow circles in the muscles as he cradled Jim's hand in his lap. Slowly, he worked his way up the first finger, then the second and then up and down the others. He knew each of those finger's histories like he knew his own. Each bone fracture, muscle or ligament tear, sprain or dislocation was etched permanently in his mind, just like all the other information on Jim's records. After all, he'd been the one to heal a lot of them. McCoy took pride in the fact that it'd take another doctor to find any trace of the damage McCoy had fixed.

He took his time, enjoying the feel of warm skin and flexible joints. A healthy body was calming to him. After each finger was massaged, he moved down to the muscles below the index finger. Then to the palm.

Just as he was starting on the wrist he felt a tiny jolt and was startled to see the other passengers start to leave their seats. They'd arrived. A couple of the passengers who'd sat across from them looked at him strangely.

_I feel like I've been caught doing something dirty in public,_ McCoy thought with embarrassment. He turned to look at Jim, who was staring at him, wide-eyed and a bit flushed.

"My left hand," Jim said seriously as he lifted it off the armrest and held it out to McCoy, "is so jealous and lonely I think it's going to cry."

McCoy laughed and reached for it, pulling it up to his mouth to kiss the back. "You tell it its time is coming. Just have patience."

"God, I  _love_  doctors," Jim said enthusiastically as pulled his hand back and unbuckled his restraint.

McCoy stood and got in line with the other disembarking passengers. He threw Jim a smile over his shoulder. "Then I guess it's a good thing you found one you can keep, huh?"

 

***

 

"See, I told you the room would be fabulous!" Jim exclaimed happily as he threw his duffle bag on the bed. He fell back on it, his arms thrown out and laughed when he bounced. "And when they promise a super-sized bed, they mean it!"

McCoy just shook his head with a smile, placing his duffle on the top of a nearby chest of drawers. "You  _would_  notice the bed first."

Jim looked around feeling lighter than he had in weeks. The room was simple, elegant and yet gorgeous. The walls were a bright golden color, and plants filled every nook and cranny. It made him realize how dull and stale his quarters looked on the ship.

_Green,_ Jim thought. _We just don't get enough_ green _on the ship. Everything is done in whites, blues, and grays. No wonder these planets are like finding another universe, where living things actually grow everywhere. When I get back, I'll have to look into making more walls green._ Someplace _on the ship should be green outside of the Botany Lab._

"Hey! Let's look at the view!" Jim got up and raced through the large room to the balcony. He threw open a sliding glass door and strode onto the balcony. The warm air rustled the plants that filled the small space. "Bones! Come look!"

McCoy came out and Jim was glad to see him still smiling. His eyes widened as he took in the view. " _Wow_. This  _is_  nice. And there's hardly anyone in sight, considering this is a hotel. I'd have expected the beaches to be full already."

Jim looked out onto the blue-green bay with its bright white sands and the various small, green islands in the distance. The wind was warm, and the bright sun brought out a hundred different greens in the jungle vegetation around them. The smell of chlorophyll was heavy in the air, smelling sweet and thick.

Jim put his arm around McCoy, who'd come to stand by the rail next to him. "Oh, there's plenty of people. The Risians are just really good at planning for a maximum view. And remember, it's still morning here, so I'm sure the beaches will get busy later. But with all these miles of it, there's a whole lot of beach to go around."

McCoy signed happily. "I could live like this. Let's retire here."

Jim laughed, slapping McCoy happily on the back. "Oh, no way. I'd tell you how much this room cost for three nights, but that would spoil the mood. You don’t even want to know how many credits you'd have to have to afford to live here."

McCoy looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "That much, huh?"

"Yeah," Jim sighed. "If I steal the ship, and sell it on the black market, that still wouldn't do it."

Both of McCoy's eyebrows rose up. "Wow. You're right, I  _don't_ want to know. It’d just make me worry that I'll break something in the room. Instead…" McCoy turned and took Jim in his arms and kissed him, “Didn’t somewhere, in the recent past, I promise you a hand job?"

Jim barked out his laughter and squeezed McCoy tightly. "Yes, you did. My left hand and I can hardly wait. But we've actually got to go. Surprise plans, remember?"

"You were serious?" McCoy asked with concern. "I mean about having plans for all four days?"

"Oh, we'll have lots of time off to test out that bed and bake on the beach. And I've read wonderful things about that shower we haven't seen yet. But we've got a date with Uhura and Spock. It's their last day of vacation and I want to spend some time with them."

"You do?" McCoy was confused. "We spend a _lot_ of time with them on the ship."

"Yes, but not as a  _couple_." Jim could see that McCoy wasn't getting it. "Look, Bones, most of the time we're on the ship, we're on duty. And off duty, we don't hold hands, or kiss…" He kissed McCoy again. "Because we need to be discrete and proper. So we can only be a real couple in our quarters. Don't you find that kind of frustrating?"

"Yeah, but I understand why it's that way," McCoy replied. "Military decorum, set an example and all that crap. That, and we don't want everyone in our business all the time. We have to work with those people and that tin can gets awful small sometimes."

"So, now, we can just be ourselves and hang out with another couple. It'll be fun!"

McCoy frowned a bit. "Are you sure we won't be intruding on their time together? I'm sure their idea of a romantic encounter doesn't include us hanging around."

"It was actually Uhura's idea," Jim admitted. "I think she feels a bit lonely. Not a lot of people she can talk to about dating a Vulcan, let alone a fellow officer. I think she's a bit frustrated too."

McCoy looked at Jim with a twinkle in his eye. "Jim, she's dating a _Vulcan_. Of course she's frustrated. It's what they do best."

Jim chuckled. "I'm sure she's happy enough, she'd just like to show it more. Now, we need to get unpacked and dressed for the underground. We're meeting Uhura and Spock for lunch, and then all four of us are taking a guided tour of the famous Risian Subterranean Gardens."

"Yeah, I've heard of those," McCoy admitted, looking interested. "Supposed to be fantastic." McCoy looked at the view around them. "If it's better than this, my old heart may not be able to take it."

"Your 'old heart' will have me there to keep it young and spry," Jim said. "Now, let's get ready. I want to make sure we have a nice lunch before our tour time comes up."

"Damn, you're bossy." McCoy gave Jim's ass a pat and let him go. "I guess it's a good thing you're paid to be one."

"That it is," Jim agreed happily. "That it is."

 

***

 

McCoy stood patiently in the back of a large group, next to Uhura. There were about thirty people, of various species, crowded around and waiting for their scheduled tour while many more were visiting the gift shop. The Risian guide was giving a lecture on the building of the gardens and the collection and maintenance of the plant life Risa had collected from all over the universe. They had chosen only those that could not only thrive in the vast underground chambers, but glowed in a variety of spectrums as well. And McCoy had heard that there were all kinds of insects, although none what were supposed to threaten anyone's health. McCoy was doubly glad he'd taken his medical bag, which he wore on a strap around his waist.

Spock had gone with Jim to stand in a long line for their old-fashioned paper tickets, leaving Uhura and McCoy together to decide how to wait it out.

_I like her a lot, but we don't actually talk that much on the ship. I guess now is a good time as any to strike up a conversation. What do I say that doesn't sound like lame chit-chat?_

Lunch had gone well, but with Jim and Spock talking shop, McCoy and Uhura hadn't actually said much to each other. McCoy wasn't sure how much they had in common other than the Academy, the ship, and their romances with two of the bridge crew.

"So, Nyota," McCoy started off after seeing that Uhura wasn't listening to the history lesson any more than he was. "How's your vacation  _really_  been?"

Uhura chuckled. Dressed comfortably in a long, flowing sundress of light yellow, with her hair French braided and hanging down her back, she gave McCoy a sweet smile. "Afraid I was being polite at lunch to spare Spock's feelings? It actually  _has_  been fun. And _very_ romantic."

"For dating a Vulcan, you mean." McCoy gave her a teasing smile.

"Yes, for dating a Vulcan." Uhura's smile grew. "Their lifestyle does take some getting used to since they're so much more reserved than humans usually are. There are always the big adjustments, like going vegetarian, and no public displays of affection. But Spock's very romantic in his own way, and we're always finding ways to spend time together that works for us both. I'm finding the more I'm with him, the more I feel like the Vulcan lifestyle suits me." She looked at McCoy, her eyebrow arched. "And how is your vacation going, Leonard? Jim looks happier than I've seen him in a while."

"Well, for just arriving, it's going great," McCoy admitted. "Jim's apparently got all kinds of things planned. He's not going to tell me ahead of time, though." McCoy sighed. "He knows I hate surprises, but he's doing it anyway."

Uhura stepped closer to him, took his arm and hooked hers through his. It was a kind and friendly move that seemed to break the ice between them. He found he appreciated the gesture.

"It'll be good for you, Leonard. You worry so much that you spend half of your time planning for something horrible to happen, and the rest waiting for it to go to hell."

_Well, yeah,_ McCoy thought.  _That sums me up pretty well. Smart lady._

"Call me Len," he said, patting her arm with his free hand.

She looked at him curiously. "And can I ask a personal question, Len?"

"Shoot," McCoy said.

"How long have you two been using the 'Old Man' and 'Kid' nicknames? That's fairly new, isn't it? I can't believe you're  _that_  much older than we are. Not enough to make a point about your age difference."

McCoy just shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's just something that crept up on us. Like how he pinned me with that stupid nickname of his."

"Ah, now  _that_  I know all about," she laughed. " _Bones_. I was there for that christening, remember? Not even two minutes off of the shuttle and he'd already tagged you as his."

"Is that what you think it is?" he asked, genuinely curious. "A way we put a claim on each other?"

"Of course!" Uhura looked at him kindly. "I was just wondering when in the relationship it happened. Names are words, and in most of the humanoid language I've come across, words are one of the most important ways to communicate. And the most important words are those that identify ourselves to others. Part of being a linguist is knowing how powerful words are, and that how, when, and  _why_ they're used change their meaning. A lot." She gave him a teasing look. "Why do you think I wouldn’t tell Jim what my first name was? It was because I wasn't sure about him, and wanted him to have to earn it."

"You didn't like him? Not everyone did. He's sort of an acquired taste."

She shrugged. "I didn't dislike him. Not really. But I wasn't sure at first that he had it in him to be a good officer. Or have the stamina and self-control to make it to graduation. You  _know_  how many people drop out the first year. It's hard. Harder than people expect. So you either suck it up or leave. I didn't know which he would do, burn bright or burn out. So I decided not to get too close." She squeezed McCoy's arm. "I hope I'm not offending you."

"Oh, no," McCoy admitted. "I understand. For a while there, I didn't know if we were gonna make it to graduation. We both had a lot of demons to deal with, I guess. Kind of took our attention away from our studies, at times."

"You've always used 'we' when you talk about the Academy," Uhura noted with a chuckle. "That's what I mean. Jim put his mark on you by giving you a nickname  _he_  chose. And you accepted it, the first day. You do realize that you've made it perfectly clear over time that no one else is allowed to call you 'Bones', right?"

"Well, yeah," McCoy agreed, feeling a bit embarrassed. Why, he couldn't tell. "It'd sound even stupider coming from someone else."

Uhura gave him an amused, but scolding look. "No fibbing, Len! You don't let anyone else call you that because it's  _Jim's_  name for you. Just like he'd bristle in anger if anyone else but you called him 'Kid'. Or anyone but him called you 'Old Man'. And I think…" she trailed off for a minute, looking lost in thought. "That you call him 'Kid' to remind him how far he's come since you first met him, and that you have a shared history. He calls you 'Old Man' as a way to remind you that you're  _not_. Nobody old in body or mind could keep up with him."

"Well, maybe," McCoy said thoughtfully. "I can't say I've really given it much thought. It just sort of happened."

"That's why nicknames are important. They tell whole stories about people."

"So, what does Spock call you, other than Nyota or Uhura? Or is that private?"

"In a way," she admitted with a shyly. "But not between friends. He sometimes calls me Ashaya, which means he has great affection for me." Her smile grew serene. "He doesn't use it often, but when he does... well, it really means something special. So I really  _hear_  it when he says it."

"I'm sure you do," McCoy said softly, he squeezed the hand on his arm. "He's a very lucky man."

She laughed. "Yes, he is. And so is Jim. I'm glad you two finally got together. It's taken you long enough to realize you're a couple, you know."

"Long enough? I mean, it's still kind of new for us," he protested. "We were just friends for years."

Uhura rolled her eyes with amusement. "You two have been joined at the hip since the day you met. There was nothing 'just' about your relationship. Not then and not now."

"All because of the nickname thing?"

"Please," she said. "That, and your body language, has been screaming your relationship since the start." She used her free hand to poke his arm. "Lucky you!"

He must have looked confused because she just shook her head happily as she looked past him. "And speaking of our significant others, here they come. I guess we're all set for this tour to start."

McCoy glanced over to see the two men heading toward them, Jim happily waving the tickets in his hand.

"So, tall, dark and Vulcan isn't going to be upset over his girlfriend hanging onto another man, is he?" McCoy teased.

"Hardly, Len." She winked at him. "But I'll bet Jim has something to say about it. Just wait."

And just as Jim and Spock came into earshot, Jim stopped and spread his arms out in mock astonishment, looking at McCoy and Uhura and their linked arms. He looked at Uhura with a pretend scowl. "What? I leave my guy alone for a few minutes and you're all over him? Really, Nyota, he's taken."

"Jim!" McCoy said with embarrassment as a few in the crowd around turned to look.

Spock, who was dressed in a tunic of some dark and heavy material, was holding two tickets of his own. He turned to Jim, one eyebrow rose and his mouth quirked slightly on one side. "Jim, are you implying that Nyota has suddenly lowered her standards by such a tremendous degree that she would choose Leonard's company over mine?"

"Hey!" McCoy interjected.

"I should challenge you to a duel, Sir, for insulting my partner," Jim said to Spock with a laugh, "But our tour is about to start."

Uhura laughed and squeezed McCoy's arm.

"You  _are_  scary," McCoy murmured to her.

Uhura just smiled at Jim as she let McCoy's arm go and walked over to Spock to take her ticket. "You may have him back, Jim." She looked up at Spock, who'd offered his own arm to her. "Humans!" She said with pretend exasperation.

Spock's eyebrow rose as Uhura steered him to the now forming line for the next tour.

McCoy found himself chuckling. "Now, there's a couple who deserve each other."

"Should  _my_  ears have been burning?" Jim asked mischievously, handing McCoy a ticket.

"Always," McCoy replied cheerfully. "Let get this tour started. I'm ready for a long ride in the dark. That way I won't have to worry about stepping on anything vicious."

"They don't have anything in there that bites, Bones."

"Always a first time," McCoy grumbled. "Just wait and see."

After surrendering their paper tickets, which McCoy thought was ridiculous but Jim thought quaint, they entered a large room that held about forty tourists and a long glider-train aimed toward a dark tunnel opening. It sat low, with padded seats that faced forward in groups of two. It was sleek and minimally designed, so that the sides only came up to the bottom of the seats, leaving the rest open. They just had to step up and over to get in.

_Oh, good. Someone's going to fall out. Probably one of those kids over there. A good gust of wind could probably topple it over._

"This is the VIP tour, Bones," Jim assured him. "We get a longer ride and will get to go deeper down into the lower tunnels than the other tours. We'll get to see things they don’t. Practically have a whole section to ourselves."

_I'm not sure if that sounds comforting or not,_ McCoy thought. But he smiled for Jim's sake, remembering that he was supposed to stop worrying about things.

There were already a lot of people in the room, including a few families with children. The four of them stood at the back of the crowd. As the door closed behind them, a young Risian girl stood up on a small stage. She was cute, with long black hair, dark eyes and the Risian tattoo sharp and clear on her forehead. She wore a simple all-black uniform of a button up shirt with no sleeves and black shorts and sandals. Everyone quieted down.

"Thank you for taking our VIP Extended tour of Risa's famous subterranean gardens," she started in a loud, sing-song voice. "We have flora here from over eighteen different planets. The tunnels themselves run north to south at various levels and depths. This tour will take one and one-half standard hours and will cover a distance of twenty-three kilometers."

As she took a breath to continue, McCoy found himself looking at the crowd instead of listening.

_Mostly Humans and a few others. One elderly lady with a cane, several young couples, three families with kids. Some Risians. Is that a Borothan? They've come a long way. An Orion, and a Deltan, I think. A couple of Xarantine… and is that Rigelian pregnant? Oh, Lord, she looks awful close to giving birth. Or, laying eggs, I should say. Same thing in the end._

McCoy's hand automatically went to the small medical pouch at his waist.  _Well, at least I'm not totally unprepared._

He almost jumped when Jim, who was standing a little behind him, put his hand on McCoy's wrist. Jim leaned close to whisper in his ear. "Things okay?"

McCoy just nodded and inclined his head toward the Rigelian on the outside of the group.

Jim huffed with amusement, his voice low. "I see. You doctors never get a break, do you?"

McCoy turned his head just enough to give Jim a scowl.

_Of course we don't. Because everyone around us is stupid and the universe has a nasty sense of humor._

Jim nodded his head toward the front of the crowd. "Look up front, 2 o'clock."

Following Jim's suggestion, McCoy could see bits of a Starfleet uniform, the dark blue with black shoulder pads and a gold insignia peeking through the crowd.

_… Starbase uniform… a Commodore,_ McCoy decided as he spied a bit of the wrist braid on the uniform.

_Someone's getting the real VIP treatment. And they've brought someone else along with them. A Commander, sciences. Must be their First Officer._

"Someone you know?" McCoy asked Jim.

"Familiar face," Jim said quietly. He turned to Spock and Uhura. "Hey, guys, you know the Commodore up front?" he asked, nodding toward the crowd.

Spock and Uhura looked in that direction.

"Commodore Stocker," Spock replied in a low voice. "He is due to take command of Starbase 12."

"Ah," Jim said with realization. "Since that's the Starbase for this sector, I imagine he's visiting all the local planets he can before his Commissioning Ceremony. Being that it's at the juncture of the Klingon, Romulans and Orion territories, he's going to be in charge of a lot of important space routes. He'll need to know the neighbors if he wants to keep the Federation in their good graces."

"Indeed," Spock replied. "He must have come very early to this sector, if he's able to take in such non-secure sites in his leisure time."

"Well, everyone needs a vacation once in a while," Uhura said a shrug. "I wouldn't want to do it in uniform, though. Takes all the fun out of sight-seeing."

_Which is why Jim doesn't like to throw his position around. Lots of unofficial freebies for Starship Captains and up whenever they hit a member planet or space station. But then you have to allow yourself to be escorted around, and you have to wear your uniform. That's not a vacation. That's work._

Just then the tour guide finished her speech and stepped off the platform. The crowd started talking amongst themselves as they headed to the glider-train to take their seats. McCoy wasn't surprised to see the Flag Officer taking the very front seat with his companion.

Jim and McCoy found two seats together, near the back, while Uhura and Spock found two closer to the middle. It hadn't taken the crowd very long to board.

As he settled into his seat the first thing he noticed was the absence of seatbelts.  _Oh, great. Now_  I'll  _fall out._ He looked around the headrest of the seat in front of him to see if he could see where the Rigelian had settled. Jim's arm around his shoulders pulled him back.

"Off-duty," Jim reminded him affectionately.

"Starfleet, yes. Doctor, never," McCoy muttered. But he took the suggestion and settled back, twisting a bit so he could keep Jim's arm around his shoulders. He watched as the glider-train started its slow slide into the tunnel ahead of them. They weren't going to be moving very fast, it seemed. He reached up to Jim's hand hanging over his shoulder and laced their fingers.

_Okay. Maybe having no seat belts isn't a bad idea after all. He'd never let me fall out anyway._

 

***

 

_This is so beautiful!_ Jim thought with awe, even after what must have been half of their touring time had passed. It just kept getting more and more beautiful.

He'd known the gardens were luminescent, and that they'd be pulled through only a portion of the vast array of natural caverns and Risian built tunnels. But he'd really never expected it to be pitch dark in some places. If it hadn't been for the plants, he knew he'd not be able to see his hand in front of his face. But where the plants were thick it was like being pulled through a dense jungle of LED lights of all colors and shapes. As they moved deeper, the sparse vegetation became thick and lush.  Areas on both sides of the glider-train, from floor to ceiling, were packed with plants of all shapes and sizes. There were small and delicate mosses to tree-like flora. Some were even flowering, adding bursts of contrasting color here and there. He could see and hear insects fluttering around that were just as luminescent as the plants. And there seemed to be a small stream that gurgled softly somewhere in the distance, following the curve of the caves.

_It's like we're actually floating through a nebula, with no wall around us. Now I know why this place is so famous. Even the kids are enchanted. Not one of them has made a peep since we started. We're all too busy watching the scenery._

And it felt private since they really couldn't see the other riders. Reclining in the comfortable padded seat, McCoy warm at his side and under his arm, he let his head rest on McCoy's. They'd both settled in close, the air a bit color than the Enterprise usually was. Jim's summer clothing made McCoy's warmth and weight all that more appealing.

_I feel like I could stay like this for hours, just the two of us._ He squeezed McCoy's hand and got a contented hum in response as McCoy tried to snuggle a little closer.  _He needs this. The last few months have been tough on him._

_Here, on vacation, I don't have to be The Captain. I can take that uniform off and walk away from it at any time, if it comes to that. But there's no way Bones can walk away from being a doctor. From being a true-born Healer. It's what he **is** , _ _not just what he's chosen to do with his life. But there's got to be a balance. He can't be blaming himself for the universe being a nasty son-of-a-bitch. If it wasn't for him, a lot of people would be a lot worse off. But he forgets that when he can't work miracles._

McCoy's total dedication to being a healer was one of the things he'd truly loved about McCoy since the beginning. And while he'd never want McCoy to change, it also was one of the things Jim continuously worried about. Doctors could burn out so fast, and Jim never wanted to see McCoy hit rock bottom. His divorce had taken him so close to that breaking point that the thought still scared Jim.

_That's what_ ** _I'm_**   _here for,_  Jim reminded himself.  _To keep that from happening._

"And now," said a soft voice from nowhere, startling Jim a little. "We are coming upon Soolivan Lake. So far, it stands as the largest indoor lake in the sector. We will be coming to a short stop at the shore. Please do not leave the glider-train."

McCoy sat up as they rounded a soft curve. The tunnel got narrower until there was only room for the dimly glowing mosses to cover the walls. Ahead, Jim could hear people murmur as they cleared the tunnel into a much larger and open cavern. Jim could feel the air change and smell the water.

How large the body of water was, Jim didn't remember, but it seemed huge compared to the caves and tunnels they'd been in recently. The water was black where it wasn't reflecting the flora from the shore and the ceiling. Eventually, in the distance, there were no plants, so there was no horizon visible. Only a band of deep black that hid the far side.

"That's beautiful and scary," McCoy said as Jim crowded up beside him to get a better view. "There could be a waterfall way out there in the black, but you'd never see it."

"Oh, you'd hear it," Jim said, eyes on the black horizon. He was just about to say something else when someone from the front of the glider-train screamed.

"Oh, hell," McCoy cursed, shaking Jim off and vaulting over the low sidewall of the glider-train just as it started to break.

_What? Is she **really** going to give birth  **here?**_  Jim wondered as he followed McCoy onto the rocky beach along the lake's edge. But McCoy wasn't headed up the glider-train. It took Jim a stunned second to realize McCoy was already in the water. And another second to process why.

_A body? That sure looks like one, even in this crazy light!_

McCoy carefully wadded into the water, trying to reach what looked to be a body dressed in white floating face-down about 20 feet from the shore. Jim was close behind him.

_Damn, that's freezing! And slippery!_

"Bones, hang on!" Jim commanded as he felt the floor getting steeper under his feet. He planted his feet and stretched out, reaching out to McCoy. McCoy grabbed his hand and stretched himself out to grab what looked like the body's foot. McCoy pulled it toward him and as soon as he was able he reached under the body's arms and lifted the upper torso out of the water. Jim helped him carry it to the shore. It was cold, but not stiff.

It was hard to see it clearly. The light from the vegetation wasn't nearly as dense as it was back in the tunnels. They laid the body on the stony beach and were immediately surrounded by some of the other tourists. Many had pulled out small communication devices. Some were trying to comm out to summon help, but Jim knew that wasn't going to happen. Others were using the screens as a light source, throwing out patchy and multicolored light. The effect was more like a lightning storm than any real help as the lights moved around and over-lapped.

"Everyone, get back!" Jim ordered. He turned to Spock and Uhura. "Get them back by the glider-train. See what kind of emergency protocols they have, including making sure the glider-train doesn't start back up and leave us while we're standing here. Find some better lights."

Both nodded and turned toward the glider-train. McCoy bent over the supine body, busy testing it for any signs of life with his portable med-scanner. When he shook his head and stood, Jim knew that there was no hope.

"I need some real light, Jim," McCoy said quietly, so those who still stood nearby wouldn't hear. "I can barely tell it's a humanoid male in this light."

Jim knew that their own communicators wouldn't be much more help with the lighting, let alone the lack of a signal underground. "I've got Spock looking for some."

McCoy's wet hand grabbed Jim's arm and pulled him close so he could whisper in Jim's ear. "This wasn't drowning, Jim. He's got some kind of hole in him."

Someone came up behind them, and in the dim light Jim could see it was the Starfleet Commodore and his companion.

_Probably his First Officer,_ Jim decided.  _With that haircut, she's definitely Vulcan._

"I am Commodore Stocker, and this is my First Officer, Commander T'Lau. What's going on here?" A voice boomed, interrupting them. "What's happened? You shouldn't be out of the glider-train, let alone touching anything!"

Jim stepped between the Commodore and the dead man, keeping his voice low. "Sir, I'm afraid we have a body, and it doesn't look like drowning."

"It doesn't?" Stocker stopped, sounding confused and uncertain. "How can you know that? Who are you?"

"I'm Captain James T. Kirk, of the Enterprise," Jim said standing at attention. "And this is Doctor Leonard McCoy, my CMO."

"Oh." Commodore Stocker sounded surprised.

As he seemed to ponder what to do, Spock came up and handed Jim a small device. It was a palm-sized flashlight. Jim turned it on the body. McCoy bent down to examine it again, and Jim squatted down with him. The body was dressed in a large, loose white shirt, white shorts, and sandals.

"Definitely a Risian," McCoy said pointing to the tattoo on the man's forehead. "Shot with a solid projectile. Exit wound." McCoy pointed out a large hole in the front of the man's shirt. He shoved the body over onto its front. He then pointed out a much smaller hole in the man's back. "Entrance. Shot in the back, right through his pulmonary pumping system. He would have been down and out immediately. Probably bled out before he got to the water. No liquid in his six lung pockets to show he struggled and inhaled anything."

Jim looked around. "And we'll never be able to find the blood in this light. How long?"

McCoy shook his head and crossed his arms, rubbing them. "Hard to tell, that water's damn cold."

As Jim stood he noticed the young Risian tour guide who'd given them their orientation standing between Spock and Uhura. Uhura had her arm around the girl, who was weeping, her hand to her mouth as if she'd be sick.

"Captain," Spock said. "The power to the glider-train has been cut. There's no communication with the operations staff. It will not be moving any further until power has been restored."

"Who are you?" Commodore Stocker's companion asked, looking at Spock and Uhura.

"My crew," Jim replied. "My First Officer, Spock and my Communications Officer, Uhura."

"This is damned irregular, Captain. Why would their electronics cut out now? Who would kill this man and leave him like that?"

"Good questions, Commodore," Jim said. He turned back to the young tour guide.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I'm Jim Kirk. And you are…?" Jim asked gently, waving a hand between them to invite her to identify herself.

"Prentis," she said through her tears. "That's Manda, he works here. He works in maintenance. He works with the botanists."

"Do you know how long he might have been here, undiscovered," Spock asked her.

"No," she replied. "I'm just a guide. I don't see the maintenance people very often. They're not supposed to be seen by the tourists."

"Do you know how far we are from an emergency exit?" Jim asked. He could hear the shocked and scared voices of the other passengers growing louder behind them.

"Um… okay… the closest one is about three and a half kilometers back the way we came," she said, her voice watery with tears. "I think. I've never had to find it before."

"The path under the glider-train is smooth," Spock said. "We should be able to walk back along it fairly easily."

"Then that is what we all should do," T'Lau remarked. She was thin and tall, with the traditional Vulcan haircut exposing her ears. "The local authorities are the logical ones to be called to a crime scene. Even though it has been contaminated." She eyed Jim and McCoy with barely detectable disapproval.

"You're right," Commodore Stocker told her. "We can all just walk back to the exit, and leave the body here."

"Yes, we could, Sir," Jim agreed.  _Time to be diplomatic. But can't he see how weird all this is?_ "But apparently there's a murderer at large who is probably still down here with us. The loss of power and communications isn't a coincidence. I think we should stay put and let the Risians come to us."

"There is no proof of that this is in any way connected to the dead man," T'Lau said, one eyebrow rising. "I believe the Commodore is correct. There are civilians here who will need to be escorted to the nearest exit. The longer we stay here, the more the scene will be contaminated."

"Waiting should do no harm if we keep everyone to the glider-train," Spock countered calmly. "While most of this system should be automated, there will be a command center coordinating the glider-train movements. And they should already be aware that there is a problem and be taking the necessary steps to rescue us."

"I agree with T'Lau," Commodore Stocker replied, looking grim. "Since I'm the senior officer here, I'm taking command, Kirk. I want you and your officers to round up the tourists and help Miss Prentis to lead us to the nearest exit."

"Sir, I'm not sure that's wise," Jim began, trying hard to keep his frustration out of his voice. "This has the feeling of—"

"I'm sure,  _Captain_ , that the  _Commodore_  is making the best choice in this situation," T'Lau said sharply.

"Commodore," McCoy said. "I haven't had a chance to check out all the tourists, but I'm pretty sure we've got one with a late-term pregnancy. If so, I'm not sure I'm going to want her walking  _any_  kind if distance."

"Then you can stay here, with anyone who might not make the walk," the Commodore said confidently, seemingly to have made up his mind. "We can easily send back a rescue team with those to who will need to investigate the death. Captain, get started on rounding up the tourists for the evacuation."

"That would split us up," Jim pointed out.

"Can't be helped. We need to get this group on its way out. Get started, Captain, and that's an order."

Jim fought the urge to make the Commodore listen, his gut screaming at him that this was some sort of set up for something larger.  _He and T'Lau are clearly not going to let me argue with them. Not when his First Officer clearly disapproves of us and the actions we've already taken. Maybe I can find a way to get him to see the big picture before we have to leave._

Jim nodded and turned to his team. "Let's go."

As the four walked back to the glider-train, taking Prentis with them, Jim turned to Spock. "We'll get everyone rounded up and let McCoy make his assessments. We shouldn't be down here too long, since the Risians will realize that the power is out in this section. Prentis?" Jim smiled at the young girl. "I'll need you to tell Mr. Spock exactly how to get to the nearest exit, and if you think that there's any way to communicate with the surface before we get to it."

"All right," she said, looking relieved to have something to do. She and Spock headed toward the back of the glider-train, where Prentis had her seat.

Jim turned back to Uhura and McCoy. "Uhura? I want you to gather everyone in the group and let them know about the walk and that McCoy can check them over if they feel they're not up to it."

"What do I say about the body, Captain?" Uhura asked.

"Just tell them we don't know anything about it, and will be contacting the Risian authorities as soon as we're able to communicate."

Uhura nodded and started back to the group that had gathered near the front of the glider-train. Jim could hear her calling for the crowd's attention as he turned to McCoy. Even in the dim, flickering light that reflected off the water, Jim could tell McCoy was unhappy.

"Is he crazy?" McCoy hissed. "They think a dead body and the power loss is just an unhappy coincidence? And now he wants us to split up? How can he not see that someone  _wanted_  us stopped here and out of the glider-train?"

"I don’t think he's had much experience," Jim said, looking back at the Commodore and his First Officer. He didn't want them overhearing and he wasn't about to underestimate the Vulcan's range. "If I remember correctly, he's been desk promoted. He's never actually had command or seen battle."

"Oh, God," McCoy said in disgust. "And they're going to put him in charge of one of the most critical space stations in the area? Whose damned idea was that?"

"Don’t ask me, I'm just a lowly Captain." Jim sighed. "Bones, I don't want to leave you here. Whoever set this up wants us to do something, and I'm not sure what that is. If we could figure out what they want maybe we could trip up their plans. But we're just guessing at this point."

"Well, let me look and see what we have," McCoy said worriedly. "Maybe we can move as a group if everyone checks out. But I can't tell about the pregnant Rigelian until I see her."

Over McCoy's shoulder Jim could see Uhura gathering the rest of the group at the back of the glider-train, near the entrance to the tunnel. There was more luminescent vegetation there and she was getting them in the best lighting available.

"Here's the flashlight," Jim handed it to him. "See what we've got to work with."

McCoy nodded, taking the light and making his way to the crowd, his damp clothing sloshing as he walked.

_I'd give a lot for a nice, hot beach and some sunshine,_ Jim thought wistfully for a second, rubbing at his arms and trying to ignore his own wet clothing as he made his way to Spock and Prentis.

Spock was talking to Prentis and she seemed a lot calmer.

Jim looked around them.  _At least we've been down here long enough to have our eyes adjust. But still, it's going to be damn dark until we get back to the main tunnel. With more vegetation, we'll have more light. But that won't make any exits or maintenance tunnels visible. They'd have camouflaged them so that it wouldn't spoil the visitor's view. That's why the tour guide is dressed in black. Why the glider-train and its upholstery are all black._

_And why it's damned strange that a maintenance worker, who's not supposed to be spotted by tourists, is dressed in white. So, was he supposed to be down here or not? Once a glider-train got close enough, there was no way his body wouldn’t have been spotted. But why? Why any of it?_

Just as Jim was about to ask Spock a question, the earth moved under his feet and a loud groaning sound shook the large cavern. Many of the tourists at the other end of the glider-train yelped or cried out in fear. Jim, Spock, and Prentis had grabbed onto the glider-train to steady themselves. The small tremor only lasted a few seconds.

"The seismic regulators?" Jim asked Spock.

"I would assume so, Captain. As we are underground, the tunnels would have their own regulators. Since tectonic instability was one of the first things the Risians had to address when terraforming this world, I would assume they have separate systems to protect the surface and the deeper tunnels."

Jim looked at Prentis for confirmation but she just shrugged. "Do you have any maps of the tunnels?"

"There's a diagram, on my screen." she pointed to a spot in front of her seat at the very rear of the glider-train. Jim could see that it was just as dead as the glider-train itself.

"But you remember where the emergency exits are, right?"

"I think so," she said timidly. "I mean, I've never used them before. No one has that I know of."

"What about the botanists and maintenance workers?" Jim asked. "Don't they have quick access to all the tunnels?"

Prentis shrugged again, looking like she was about to resume crying. "I guess. I don't really know since they don't work with us. I mean, I'm just doing this for extra credit at school. I'm not allowed anywhere but the glider-train and reception."

_So much for her emergency evacuation training,_ Jim thought with a sigh.  _Hopefully, she can find that emergency exit quickly and we don't end up wandering around banging on the walls._

"Okay, Prentis. Why don't you sit in your seat and rest for a minute? I need to talk to Mr. Spock."

He pulled Spock out of Prentis' earshot. "So, you think this power outage is local to us?"

"Yes," Spock replied quickly. "If the seismic regulators were out across the continent, or even citywide, the result would be more than a minor tremor. This planet is  _very_  volatile in its natural state. Also, I can sense the continued airflow of the tunnel's venting systems. So, they are still drawing power from somewhere."

"So, we shouldn't experience anything too big."

"Captain," Spock said, his expression serious, "That does not mean that we are not in danger. I'm afraid I've been remiss in not having studied the layout and depths of the various tunnels in the system. I do not know how safe we can be during any seismic event. Even a small rock can be dislodged and prove deadly."

"Yeah, no shit," Jim said. "It's crossed my mind. And you've hardly been remiss in your duties, Spock. You're on vacation! You're not supposed to worry about things like that."

"It's when one is at their most relaxed that one finds oneself the least prepared for unfortunate circumstances."

Jim gave Spock a small smile. "Gee, you're starting to sound like McCoy."

Spock's eyebrows rose, but Jim could see a tiny smile turn the corner of the Vulcan's mouth. "More insults, Captain?"

The moment didn't last long. Another slight tremor moved the ground under them

"Okay. Let's go and get everyone rounded up for the walk back. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have the exit clearly marked for a power outage. The quicker we get everyone to it, the safer they'll be."

With a calming hand on Prentis' back, the three walked up to the group Uhura had rounded up. Of the thirty-some non-Starfleet tourists, Jim could see that four were still sitting in the glider-train while the rest were standing in a group, their eyes on the approaching party.

Uhura and McCoy came up to them.

"The main group is calm and ready to go, Captain," Uhura reported.

"The pregnant Rigelian could lay her eggs prematurely if she's forced to walk that far, Jim," McCoy said with concern. "The other is her husband, who needs to stay with her, in case she does go into labor. The older lady with the cane doesn't want to try it. The younger guy is her nephew, who wants to stay with her.

"But everyone else is good to go?"

McCoy nodded. "They may be slow. I'm not sure some of them are in very athletic shape, but they'll get there eventually."

"Captain?"

Jim turned to see First Officer T'Lau and Commodore Stocker approach them. Further behind them, Jim could just make out that someone had placed a jacket over the upper part of the body. Jim wondered if the Commodore had put it there.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Why haven't we started back yet?" he asked, clearly annoyed. "Let's get this going."

"We've got a few tourists who shouldn't try to make the trip, Sir. The Doctor and I can stay here with them and wait for a rescue team."

"If they have a doctor, I fail to see why they would need you to stay, Captain," T'Lau said.

"With all due respect, Sirs, I'm still not convinced that the murderer isn't still in the cavern. I feel that leaving the Doctor behind without backup would be putting them in unnecessary danger."

"And yet, you have no proof," T'Lau said sharply. "There is a much higher likelihood that the killer has left the area, as they would have little reason to stay and be caught near the body. They could have left hours ago."

"I agree," Stocker said. "The Doctor and the others should be fine. You come with us, Captain, and we'll make sure the majority get back safely. If you're that concerned, you can come back with the rescue team."

"Sir—"

"That's an order, Captain."

_Damn it! This just doesn't feel right. But I'm all out of time and arguments. Especially if they're not really wanting to listen. I have no choice._

"Yes, Sir." Jim went to the group waiting to leave. He could see they were all concerned and nervous. The children had caught on to the fact that something wasn't right and were starting to get fussy. "Listen up, everyone. We're all going to start walking back to an emergency exit. We'll be following the path the glider-train takes, which should be fairly smooth. And since we'll be able to see better with our eyes adjusting to the light of the flora, let's all turn our artificial lights off. They'll just get in our way and blind us."

As people murmured among themselves and turned off their lights, Jim raised his voice and quickly shined the flashlight on the two people beside him. "This is Mr. Spock and Miss Prentis. They will take the lead. The path isn't very wide, so let's keep two-abreast. I'll be at the back, and if you have any problems just give a shout."

Jim turned to the Commodore. "Commodore, if you'd like to join those at the front?"

"We should take up the rear," T'Lau said quickly. "Some may need help and fall behind. We can keep an eye on them that way."

"Yes," Commodore Stocker said after a moment. "We'll do that. That way we can make sure that there are no stragglers."

"Yes, Sir. Spock? Ready?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Then take it away."

Spock and Prentis headed toward the cave opening that they had come in through and people started pairing off to follow them.

Jim went to McCoy once again and took his arm, bringing them close enough to whisper. "Listen, Bones, I hate to leave you like this, but if you have any problems give a shout. You have anything in that medkit that'll help you fight off bad guys?"

McCoy frowned. "Not unless he's allergic to anything I can hypo them with. But don't worry, Jim. I'll think of something. You're only going a few kilometers up the road." McCoy looked down at his feet. "I might as well stay anyway."

"Why?"

McCoy smiled crookedly at him. "Three kilometers in squishy shoes doesn't sound like much fun to me. I'm on vacation. Should have worn sandals."

"We'll get back to that vacation soon, I promise. Just keep your head down." He slapped McCoy on the shoulder and turned to follow the rest of the group into the tunnel.

 

***

 

After the main group left, McCoy got Ursssa, the pregnant Rigelian, settled back in the glider-train. He'd made sure she wasn't close to laying her eggs yet. If she did, at least he'd have help. Her husband, Prisst, was ready and waiting to host the eggs for the second part of their hatching cycle if it came to that.

_Good thing they were smart enough to stick together. He's got the back pouches to carry the eggs once their shell hardens. So, they should be all set if the eggs come early. But why people insist on traveling while pregnant is beyond me._

After fussing with them for a bit, McCoy headed for Ellen, the elderly Human woman. Coming up to her, he realized that she was alone.

"How are you doing, Ellen?" McCoy asked. "Where did Jacob go?"

"Jacob decided to catch up with the others," Ellen said with a smile.

"Oh? But they've been gone for a bit. He'll have to hurry to catch up to them."

_And he shouldn't have left at all. He was all over me to stay with his aunt and then he takes off? That doesn't feel right._

"He'll be fine," she said casually and patted the seat next to her. "Sit and wait with me, Doctor. I'm sure your young couple over there will be fine."

"Thanks, anyway," McCoy said distractedly as he started toward the tunnel that led back to the surface. "I think I'll just take a look."

"I don't think so."

McCoy looked back and froze. Ellen, apparently a lot spryer than she looked, had jumped out of the glider-train and was aiming the tip of her cane at him. It glowed darkly red in a way that meant it was going to do something nasty to him if he moved

"Go back to the couple." She nodded her head in the direction of the two Rigelians.

McCoy, his hand in the air, felt that if he did they'd all three be left unconscious or dead. If he took a hit of whatever the cane did, at least Prisst might be warned and have a shot at saving his wife.

"Don't think so," McCoy said loudly. "Since I don't think you'll let us live, I might as well stand my ground."

She lifted the cane a bit higher and McCoy prepared to jump at the cane to try to grab it when he heard a loud crack. Ellen's eyes rolled back in her head and she dropped. McCoy lunged and grabbed her before she hit the ground. She was completely out.

Looking up in surprise, McCoy saw Prisst jogging up to him.

Prisst looked at the unconscious woman in McCoy's arms and nodded. "I'm a fan of your Terran baseball. I'm very good at throwing rocks."

"You sure as hell are," McCoy said as he lay the women down on the sand. Prisst came over to stand next to him as he turned his tricorder on her. She was still alive and read as human, but the readings were a bit odd. McCoy turned her head and felt at the back of it. The skin had split and she was bleeding. It was hard to tell, looking closely in the faint light. He thought it looked a sickly green.

"Damn it, someone in the party is in danger and I bet I know who. Prisst, help me find something to tie her up with. I need to catch up to the group."

 

***

 

Jim walked slightly in front of Commodore Stocker and T'Lau, his eyes on the group ahead of him. The ground below was completely covered in glowing moss and was free of any of the larger plants, so the route the glide-train took was as clear as it could get. And the walk was as easy as he could have wished for. They just couldn't go faster than the slowest among them.

_Where are all the emergency exits and comms? There's got to be a better way to evacuate people._

He hadn't noticed it so much from the glider-train, but the walls of the tunnel were actually quite a ways away from the track. And the plants were dense, some of the larger tree-like growths actually overhung the glider-train path. Jim felt like he could build a good sized treehouse in some of them. If they were to go off the path and try to find a tunnel opening, they'd end up walking along one of the walls and Prentis didn't seem to think there were any clear paths there.

_I know I'm missing something._

Behind him, he could hear Stocker and T'Lau talking. Neither one seemed very concerned. It was as if they were just all taking a nice pleasure walk. But the hair on the back of Jim's neck was rising. There was something very wrong.

It wasn't until he looked down at himself that he realized he was glowing like a beacon. His white shirt was almost as bright as a sun.

_What? It's the plants that glow, not us!_

And then he realized that the Risians were using black-light in some areas to make their plants look even more vibrant.

_I don't remember noticing that I was glowing before. Why just this spot?_

Suddenly, the ground shook again. Many of the tourists ahead of them yelled in fright. Some ducked and looked around fearfully. Jim checked overhead, afraid to see some part of the cavern ceiling or a large branch fall. But once the quake stopped only the plants swayed, and nothing fell.

"Kirk!" Stocker said, sounding shaken. "How much longer until we get to that exit?"

As Jim turned and looked at the Commodore, he stopped and stared. The black light was making the Commodore's grey-blue and black Flag Officer uniform glow a dull, crimson red. Then it hit him.

_That's not possible in black light! Not with **those** colors. And T'Lau's uniform isn't glowing at all._

The golden Starfleet insignia on the Commodore's chest glowed like a target over his heart.

_His uniform's been sabotaged to point him out in this light. At **this** spot! He's the target!_

Jim ran toward him. "Commodore! Down!"

Just as Jim shoved him to the side a crack rang out behind them. Jim hit the ground, hearing a loud thunk as a projectile struck the trunk of a tree.

Tourists screamed and Jim could hear Spock giving orders for them to leave the path and take cover.

Stocker had gone down on one knee, looking dazed. Jim leaped and landed on him, rolling them both over into the brush at the side of the path.

Stocker tried to stop him. "What?!"

"Someone's shooting!" Jim hissed in Stocker's ear. "Your top. Get it off!"

Another shot rang through the cave. Jim had no idea how far back the shooter was.

More people screamed and children cried louder. He could only pray no one was hit.

Stocker seemed too stunned and confused to move. Keeping low, listening for movement, Jim started pulling off the Commodore's shirt. Stocker let him. Once he was down to his black undershirt Jim was relieved to see that it didn't glow at all.

"Stay down," Jim ordered, looking around to see where T'Lau went.

_Was she hit? Where did she go?_

"Who's doing this?" Stocker hissed.

"No clue," Jim said, trying to see around the brightly glowing foliage. How could he pick out a stalker in this riot of color and movement?

_If I'm having a hard time, maybe the assassin is too._ He looked around, and grabbed a handful of branches, working to snap one of the green stems from its base. He shoved them into Stocker's tunic top. Then he stripped off his own white shirt, rolled up and tossed the damp ball, under some brush.

_No use me being a lighthouse beacon out here._

"What the  _hell_  are you doing?!" Stocker demanded, just as Jim heard someone come up through the brush behind him.

"Shut up!" Jim hissed, shoving Stocker down to the ground. He grabbed a rock and held it up toward the sounds coming from behind them.

"Captain?"

"Spock? Over here!"

Spock's dark tunic made him an even darker shadow in the whirl of colors. He crawled toward Jim and Stocker.

"Was anyone hit?" Spock asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen the First Officer. She may be down. Anyone in the group get hurt?"

"I do not think so." Using a tree trunk as cover, Spock careful glanced around the side. "Uhura was going to make sure. She is working to keep them all down and under cover. The Commodore is the target?"

"Yeah. Someone tampered with his uniform. He was a walking target under the black light."

Spock nodded. "So, we were correct. Someone has set up this scenario to assassinate the Commodore. Someone who had access to his itinerary and his uniform."

"More than one," Jim said. "I'll bet we've got a couple of them, one outside the Federation and one inside."

Spock nodded. "Very likely."

"But… Why me?" Stocker almost seemed to be in shock.

Jim shrugged. "We can ask them later. Right now, we need to get everyone out of these tunnels and to the surface. Since help hasn't arrived already we can only assume that it's going to take them a while longer. We need to take out the shooter behind us."

"I assume you have a plan that I will object to," Spock said dryly.

"Of course. So, let's save time and get on with it."

Jim shoved the Commodore's tunic toward Spock. "Give me about five minutes to try to circle around behind the shooter. Then make some noise and hold this up."

"Drawing their attention and their fire, while you attack them from behind."

"Right. When you hear me yell, come running."

"Affirmative."

Keeping close to the ground, Jim made his way through the thick vegetation, keeping low and keeping cover when he could. He wouldn't get very far in five minutes, but he didn't want to take the chance that the shooter was doing the same thing to try to get closer to their victim.

Hoping he was actually behind the shooter, Jim made his way carefully to the path. Just as he got set, he heard a commotion on the path, and a shot boomed out.

Jim whirled.  _Damn it! They're further back!_

Suddenly he heard a loud pop and thud from the same spot the shot had come from.

He drew back, away from the road again, once more starting to circle back and around. When he saw some movement ahead of him, he pushed through the brush. Just as he identified the movement as T'Lau kneeling over a man's prone body he saw her lean down toward the man's throat. A glint from a knife flashed and the man gurgled.

_She cut his throat! Not very Vulcan-like. So now we know who tampered with the Commodore's tunic._

He must have made a sound because T'Lau moved like a flash and picked up an old-fashioned Terran gun the dead man had dropped. She cocked it and aimed it in his direction apparently able to see him clearly.

"Well, Captain." She scowled at him. "If I have to go, you go."

With no large tree or rock nearby to use as cover, Jim was prepared to throw himself forward and rush her. Just as her finger started to squeeze the trigger, another loud crack filled the air. Like a puppet with its strings violently cut, T'Lau's head jerked sideways and she collapsed to the ground.

_What the hell?!_

"Jim?"

"Bones?" Jim stood carefully and looked down the path from where they'd come. McCoy was squatting on the pathway, about 10 meters back. As he jogged toward him, Jim could see McCoy was barefoot and carrying something metal in his hand. McCoy padded over and checked the dead man's wrist for a pulse. He abandoned him and checked T'Lau. "Alive."

Spock came from the other direction guiding Stoker, who still looked dazed, by the arm. They joined Jim and McCoy over the bodies.

"Doctor," Spock said calmly.

McCoy nodded and turned to Jim. "More?"

"No," Jim replied, knowing that if there were more, they should have flushed them out in the distance between the two parties. "Two."

McCoy shook his head. "Three."

"Three?"

McCoy pointed behind him. "Ellen." He looked at both Spock and Jim. "Okay?"

"Yeah," Jim replied. He waved at T'Lau, who was still out. "How…?"

McCoy held up the object in his hand. It looked like a twisted piece of metal with some type of rubber tubing hanging from it.

"Slingshot."

"Oh!" Jim said. "Where?"

"Train parts."

"Good shot."

McCoy shrugged and looked Jim up and down. "Shirt?"

"Glowing."

"Uh huh," McCoy grunted, looking skeptical.

"Barefoot?" Jim asked.

McCoy looked down at his bare feet. "Squeaky."

"Ah." Jim remembered their soaked feet. McCoy's shoes hadn't fared as well as his had. He looked at Spock and nodded toward T'Lau. "Romulan?"

Spock looked down at T'Lau and tilted his head. "Possible."

"Ellen is," said McCoy with surety, waving his hand back toward the lake and cavern. He pointed to the dead man's slit throat. "Green."

_So, they all three could be Romulan operatives. I wonder how long T'Lau has been working with Stocker, how long she's been in place. It wouldn't surprise me to find out they are after the command of Starbase 12. With Stocker dead, T'Lau would be Acting Commander. At least until they got someone else to fill the position._

Jim nodded and turned to Commodore Stocker, who was looking at the three of them strangely, and seemed as if he were about to say something. "Sir? Orders?"

Stocker, looking lost, opened and closed his mouth a couple of times.

"Shock," McCoy said with concern. He walked over and took the Commodores arm then turned to walk him toward the rest of the group. Jim could hear Uhura's calm voice reassuring them and getting them back on track.

Jim sighed and turned to Spock. "Okay. We'll need to get her tied up somehow. I can get my shirt and rip it up to bind up her wrists. But we'd better not move her."

"I have a belt, as well, Captain. With her head injury, I believe that will be sufficient to keep her contained."

"I'll assume that McCoy, has made sure the other one isn't going anywhere." Jim shook his head. "Let's just hope that we either find the exit or the rescue teams arrive soon."

Now that he was standing still, he was conscious of how irritatingly cold and rough his jeans were. And it didn't help that he wasn't going to get his shirt back.

"Let's get it rolling."

 

 

***

 

Jim was glad that, for once, he didn't have to co-ordinate the clean-up of a messy situation that he hadn't caused. A Risian rescue team had basically met the group at the emergency exit. Prentis had actually located it pretty easily. Once they'd hit civilization Jim had just been able to just follow the rescue team's instructions and walk out with the others. But after finding out he was the Captain of a Starship the Risian group that ran the gardens had gone out of their way to make him happy.

It hadn't taken much. They'd found him a change of clothes by raiding their gift shop and now he sported a black t-shirt with glow-in-the-dark plants on the front, black shorts, and sandals. Jim tossed his old shoes but kept his jeans. Clothing wise, he figured was well ahead of the game. Now, he just had to sit in a lounge on a comfy sofa, sip some good coffee from the small kitchenette, watch some Risian travel articles on the vid and relax while waiting for the next step. The others were still busy, as Spock had volunteered to look at the Risian's hacked computer system, Uhura had volunteered to translate for those tourists who didn't speak Standard very well, and McCoy… well, Jim was pretty sure McCoy was busy playing doctor somewhere. It's what he did.

_Not too bad for a vacation. Now all I need to do is finish my debriefing, wait until the other three get done, and we can party on. At least, until Uhura and Spock have to be back on board later tonight. Someone has to relieve Scotty so he can get his vacation time in._

The door opened, and McCoy peeked in. Seeing Jim, he smiled and entered. Jim put down his coffee and walked over the give McCoy a hug.

"Nice shirt," McCoy snorted with amusement. "I'll always be able to find you in the dark. You'll have to tell me the story of how you lost your first one."

Jim laughed and pushed McCoy to arm's length, holding his shoulders. "Hey, clothing critiques from a man who's still wearing damp jeans? Come sit down and I'll get you some coffee and see if they have another set of shorts for you."

"No, I can't," McCoy said. "They've asked me to help check out some of the other tourists. The Risians want them to go to the hospital, but most of them just want to leave. So, the Risians agreed to let them leave without a fuss if I give the okay. I'd like to take one last look at the Rigelians before they go. And I want to make sure the Medical Examiner knows what to look for during the dead assassin's autopsy. I'm damn sure they're going to find he was a Romulan as well as the others. I may be another hour or so."

"Okay, I can hang here. They'll want to talk to me some more." Jim eyed McCoy. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," McCoy said with a huff as he looked down at his bare and dirty feet. "Just need a shower and a change, but I can wait until we get back to the hotel."

"So, a slingshot huh?" Jim said with a smile. "I didn't know you could use one of those."

"Kid stuff." McCoy shrugged. "You aren't the only one who's got a little delinquency in his past. I got the idea after Prisst saved me from the granny assassin with a well-thrown rock. I started tearing into the glider-train for wire to tie her up with and saw I had enough tubing to make one. Grannie'd tried to zap me with her cane, but after we had her tied up I found I couldn't get it to work. Figured a rock thrower was better than using the cane as a beating stick. I had to do something once I realize the fake nephew was coming up behind you."

"And you saved me." Jim put both hands on the back of McCoy's head, pulled him in and kissed him, slow and sweet.

_Can I pick them or what?_ he thought happily.

Just before the kiss ended McCoy stiffened. Someone had opened the conference room door and was standing there watching them. Out of the corner of his eye, Jim could see Commodore Stocker framed in the doorway.

Stocker cleared his throat. "They asked me to wait in here."

"I guess I should go?" McCoy asked Jim, clearly uneasy.

"Yeah, we'll catch up later," Jim promised. He let McCoy go and looked at Stocker. "Come and sit, Commodore. They have some good coffee here."

Stocker walked in and nodded to McCoy as he left the room. Still wearing his black undershirt and regulation pants, the Commodore looked a mess. Rolling on the ground hadn't helped him any.

_He's probably pissed off at me. Not many subordinates get away with telling a Commodore to shut up. Even if **someone**_   _had to say it._

Once the door shut, Stocker looked Jim up and down. "I think a coffee sounds good right now." He waved at the couch and the small table in front of it. "Sit and finish yours. I'll see to my own."

Jim nodded, sat down and picked his drink back up. After a few moments, Stocker sat down in one of the opposing chairs.

"I understand that they think the 'nephew' was the one who broke into the facility, rigged the computer and electrical system to fail at a signal, and killed the maintenance man."

"That's what they think, so far," Jim said. "The way Spock, Uhura and I figure it, the idea was to get you down there, off the glider-train and stuck in the tunnels. T'Lau would make sure you were at the back of the evacuation walk to the exit. Jacob would wait in the dark and come up from behind to shoot you. T'Lau would have had enough access to you to make sure that when you passed a certain spot the black-light would point you out for sure. You get shot, T'Lau causes a scene and says that the shooter ran back to the cavern lake. Then he'd circle around the vegetation, join the group and walk to the exit with his 'aunt', who'd vouch for him. The authorities and rescue team would still be looking in the caves and tunnels for the killer. They'd be long gone before anyone would realize that although 'Aunt Ellen' had bought two tickets, she'd only used the extra seat to prop her cane up, on the way in. Then T'Lau accompanies your dead body to the surface and informs Starfleet of your death by an assassin. Then she would be the Acting Commander in charge of Starbase 12 until they could replace you." Jim shrugged. "But that's only a theory."

Stocker nodded. "It fits. The doctor and the two Rigelians staying behind must have thrown them off. They didn't want anyone to see the nephew leave the lake area and come up from behind the group. So, he came out of the shadows early, and when he left, Aunty would take care of those left behind, then catch up, just like her nephew."

"She didn't really need a cane, from what Doctor McCoy said," Jim added. "Heck, she's probably not even old. The authorities have the cane now. They'll figure out what it is and where it comes from soon enough."

"And Captain James T. Kirk was there to mess up their plans."

Jim smiled. "I tend to do that to bad guys."

"And T'Lau was going to kill you. She killed her cohort."

"Apparently, you  _had_  to be dead before you left that tunnel," Jim added. "She couldn't let me stop her. She may have killed herself rather than be taken at that point. But now the authorities have two assassins to question, and a dead one to autopsy."

"So, someone thinks I'm important."

Jim gave Stocker a crooked smile. "Or your job is."

They were both quiet for a few minutes, Stocker staring at his untouched coffee.

_He's a calm one. I can't tell if he's pissed at me or appreciative. Will he make a stink about it all, or give me grief about my relationship with Bones? Great poker face._

"You're not what I thought," Stocker said quietly, looking at his coffee but making no move to drink it.

"Oh," Jim said casually, waiting for Stocker to say more. He dreaded where this could be going.

"Frankly, I've never known whether or not to believe any of those stories about you."

Jim smiled tightly. "The good ones or the bad ones?"

"Even the good ones are bad, actually. Some are of an unruly, spoiled brat who got away with too much in his youth and coasted into the Academy on his name alone. And the others talk about the savior of Earth, who lives for the publicity and adoration of it all." Stocker looked at him. "I've always felt you were probably somewhere in the middle."

"Could be," Jim said carefully. "I've had a lot of press in my life. I was born with it. They've never really managed to get any of it right. They don't know me."

"People can miss the context of what we do. Such as today. I was assaulted, manhandled, shoved to the ground, stripped of my clothing, and told to 'shut up' by someone of lower rank. I  _could_  make it into quite a story in front of a review board."

Jim didn't say anything.

_What can I say? He can bring me up on assault and other charges if he wants. They're unlikely to stick, but he can still put me through the process. He can have a review board look into my fraternization with Bones. I doubt that would come to anything, either. But they could still try to separate us. Some of the brass get their kicks by making life hell for everyone below them in rank. They have to make someone else feel bad, in order to feel good about themselves. Is this how this is going to go?_

"And your Academy reputation," Stocker continued calmly. "The campus lothario. A bad situation to allow on a ship, where you're expected to lead people, not prey on them. He  _is_  your CMO."

Jim's jaw tightened. "I have  _not_  preyed upon him. Our feelings are mutual and our relationship a committed one. We keep our jobs and our private lives separate."

"As much as you can," Stocker said, studying him.

"As much as we can," Jim admitted tightly. "If we overstep any boundaries, we have crewmates, and friends, who will let us know. And, we're officially on vacation right now. Our own time."

"You can relax, Captain," Stocker said with a small smile. "I won't be pressing any charges, making any complaints, nor bringing up your relationship with your Doctor in any report. I will be writing a very complimentary report on a man who, frankly, did exactly what he needed to do, in the way he needed to do it, in order to save my life and probably many others."

Jim felt a flush of relief. "You will?"

"Yes, and I'll tell you why. If you want to hear it."

Jim nodded.

"I've never commanded a ship," Stocker began. "I've done most of my time behind a desk, in strategy sessions and game simulations. I'm very good at chess and other games of logic and warfare. But I have no practical experience in fighting or commanding those who fight. Frankly, I'm not sure who is making the worst decision, Starfleet in giving me command of a Space Station at the juncture of several hostile territories, or me, in accepting it. But I  _have_  accepted it. So, I have to accept my limitations as well. I don't have the luxury of being too proud to ask for help when I need it. And after seeing you working with your crew, who were not just competent but a quick, efficient and a well-oiled team, I'd  _like_  to be able to depend on your help, if and when I need it."

"Of course," Jim said in surprise. "It's my job."

"It's your calling, you mean." Stocker's smile grew wider. "You'll have to tell me how you do it. How you bring together a team like that. At the end there, I felt like I was listening to a language I didn't know. I was so far outside the loop that I didn't understand what any of you all were talking about. That kind of understanding only comes from people who work well together." Stocker grimaced. "And, apparently, I didn't know T'Lau as well as I should have. I should have realized earlier that something was off about her. I guess I'm not much of a people person."

"It's easy to get fooled. Our enemies are  _very good_  at what they do," Jim said kindly. "I've been blessed with good people, a good crew, and have been incredibly lucky with my friends. I try to get to know them. To understand them and the sacrifices they make by working out in the black. To get to know their strengths and their weakness'. I care about them and I know they care about me. They're  _my_  people." Jim smiled. "We take care of each other."

Stocker nodded and lifted his cup. "Then may I be so lucky at my new post. And may you stay that way.

Jim raised his own cup. "I'll drink to that."

 

***

 

Jim sat in the dark corner of the bar, nursing his drink and watching vacationers and natives mix, mingle and a few hook up in the busy room. There had been a few who'd given him the eye. One beautiful woman had even offered to buy him a drink and keep him company. But he was content with being alone because he had somewhere to go in another five minutes.

_One hour, Bones had said. Give him one hour alone in the hotel room, and then I could come up. I have a feeling that I'm going to be very pleasantly surprised._

They'd been detained a lot longer by the Risians and Security than they'd hoped. Uhura and Spock had had to report back to the ship as soon as they'd finished helping the investigation. At least they'd had been together on the shuttle ride back to the moon base before beaming up. Jim felt bad about the way they'd ended their vacation. Bones had come away with a black bag that he wouldn't let Jim near, shutting it in the closet before they'd showered and changed for a quick dinner. Now, banned for the room for an hour, Jim had spent nearly all of it counting down the minutes with anticipation.

After checking the time on his communicator once again, he finished his drink and started the countdown.

_Five, four, three, two, one, and I'm off!_

The trip to the room went quickly, and Jim found the door unlocked. Slowly opening it, his eyes widened in surprise. While the room itself was pitch black, it was filled with the same type of glowing light that had dazzled him in the subterranean garden. There were plants all over, moving as if in a breeze.  He could hear the chirp and buzz of insects. It was as if Bones had taken a chunk of the garden back with them.

"Like it?" Bones asked, almost invisible behind the illusion.

Jim shut the door behind him. "It's beautiful!"

"Holo from the gift shop. Their top model."

"Wow. It's gorgeous. Best souvenir ever! This is great, Bones!"

"Oh, we're not done yet."

McCoy walked toward him and Jim immediately saw that he was naked. The glow of the projected plants warping into a kind of tornado of color across his body as he moved through the hologram. Jim smiled lecherously, feeling his body responding to the sight. "Now, that's an even better view."

When he got to Jim, McCoy grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. Once off, McCoy tossed the shirt on the floor and ran his hands down Jim's side. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of Jim's shorts, and bent to push them down. Jim stepped out of them, slipping off his sandals at the same time. When McCoy stood, Jim grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in for a kiss. McCoy's arms pulled their bodies together. Both of them were responding to the other's touch.

Jim plundered McCoy's mouth, exploring it with his tongue like he was coming home after a long trip away. McCoy returned the favor until they both had to gasp for air. McCoy pulled back, grabbed Jim's hand and led him toward the bed. It was almost invisible under the illusion of the glowing jungle. "Wait 'till you see this," McCoy said. Then he reached toward a table and something clicked. Suddenly, some of the holo disappeared and there was a large, black space in the room. Jim realized the bed had just gone completely dark.

McCoy suddenly grabbed Jim, turned him and pushed him back on the bed. Jim yelped in surprise, then laughed as he felt the mattress and soft sheets under him. The luminescent gardens surrounded him, up the sides and over the ceiling.

"It's like being in the center of the garden," Jim said, his face split in a grin. "This is hot!"

"Didn't say I was done yet," McCoy huffed affectionately. He disappeared into the rainbow of light for a moment, then came back with a tray. As he knelt on the bed next to Jim, McCoy placed it down beside them. The only visible thing about it was seven shallow round vials of color, glowing red, green, yellow, orange, purple, blue and white.

"Edible body paint."

Jim felt his eyes widen. "Oh, damn! Sex toys at the  _garden_  gift shop?"

McCoy laughed. "Jim, this is  _Risa_!"

"I  _looooove_  Risa," Jim said breathlessly. "I'm going to steal the ship, sell it to pirates, and put a down payment on a retirement home."

Chuckling, McCoy pushed him back on the bed and straddled him. He was a warm heavy weight across Jim's thighs and a dark human-shape above him. McCoy reached over and dipped a finger in the glowing red jell. Then covered his left palm in it. Jim watched as the floating red hand came down to press slickly on his chest. Jim looked down to see a bright red palm print over his heart.

"Mine," McCoy murmured.

McCoy then went on to press his hands all over Jim's torso, using all the colors. Jim found himself almost giggling as McCoy covered him in brilliant, cross-crossed handprints around his whole body. He hummed happily as McCoy spiked Jim's hair in what Jim could only assume was a swirly nest of color. He laughed out loud as McCoy's hands, covered in a streaky mixture of colors grabbed his hard cock, leaving it looking like a burning sword, straight from the forge.

He certainly felt hot enough for it to be true.

"Now my turn," Jim insisted suddenly impatient to create his own art.

He pushed McCoy down on the bed, which was now colored in droplets and smears a writhing Jim had left behind. Then he took his time applying the colored jell to McCoy. Jim found himself fascinated by the process of covering his lover and seeing various bits and pieces of the man come alive as the jell lit him up. Jim drew planets, stars and shooting comets. He sprinkled tiny spots of galaxies across McCoy's back and in his hair.

When he was finished, he decorated McCoy's cock like his, and fell on McCoy and kissing him soundly. They were warm and sticky and slick against each other.

"Love me, Jim." McCoy's voice was husky and pleading as he kissed and licked Jim's neck. "Please."

Jim knew what McCoy wanted. He grabbed a pillow, propped it under his lover's hips, and used the last of the slick, white jell to prepare him. When he slowly entered him, Jim could feel McCoy sigh and tighten around him. They were both a glowing mess in the middle of the jungle. A single being, out in the wild, no longer human.

Jim rode him gently at first, then harder as they both lost control and were straining toward climax. Jim dragged it out for as long as he could, until McCoy was begging in that sweet Georgian accent that always made Jim hot for him. A few well-placed thrusts and McCoy was coming, straining with it. Jim only lasted a few strokes more before he lost himself in his own climax. It hit him so hard that Jim swore he'd gone blind rather than see any stars. It was when the colors came back to him that he realized he was still panting, still inside McCoy, plastered against the man's front.

McCoy groaned in a good way. A really happy way.

Jim started licking at the paint near McCoy's mouth, as he felt himself soften enough to pull out.

"God, that was worth every credit," McCoy murmured contentedly. "Gotta get more to take to the ship."

"Lots more," Jim agreed. "We'll have to ration it until we get back to Risa again."

Jim moved to lie down next to McCoy, wrapped his slick, sticky body against McCoy's equally messy one. He laughed. "Housekeeping's going to get a really big tip."

"Bet they've seen worse," McCoy snorted. "They probably get hazard pay."

Jim snickered. McCoy reached down and took Jim's left hand and held it up to his face. "And about time I deliver on that promised hand job."

And with that, McCoy started licking and sucking on the fingers of Jim's left hand.

Jim laughed some more and enjoyed every second of it.

 

 

***

 

Three Fun-Filled Days later…

 

***

 

McCoy and Nyota walked hand in hand down the busy sidewalk deep in the heart of Abergail, the largest city on Risa. Like all of Risa's cities, it was a beach resort with warm winds, green and vibrant foliage, and crowds in their summer attire. And since it flanked the most famous beach of all, Suraya Bay, it had a large set of small, but cozy, independent shops set in the middle of its pedestrian-only downtown. It was beautiful and serene in a warm, quiet, sunny way that felt like home. The shops were all family run and full of interesting things from all over, left by travelers that needed money to enjoy themselves and didn't mind parting with things they'd brought from home.

Usually, McCoy wouldn't have taken the liberty of holding Nyota's hand, but they were still on vacation and Nyota had grabbed his, so he felt content with it. He really liked her and enjoyed the thought that he could be friends with her and not just co-workers. They were both honest people, who tended to say what they were thinking. Nyota was a whole lot politer about it than he was, though. She made friends a lot more easily than he did. So, if she actually liked him, he wasn't about to say no to her friendship.

_Nice of the Commodore to find some extra days for all of us. Jim and I could make up the off-duty time we missed, and Spock and Nyota could get one more day on the surface out of it. I'm sure we'll be remembering this vacation for a long time._

"You were right," McCoy said to Nyota. "This is a lot better than that _Stellar Space Ship Systems and Designs_ convention Spock and Jim are crashing. Sounds like a snooze fest to me."

Nyota smiled. "Some boys and their fast toys. They never quite get enough. Did Jim get any of that out of his system?"

"Oh, you mean the danger and speed kink he has?" McCoy chuckled. "A bit. At first, he wanted to go skydiving but decided he'd been there, done that. He did go bungee jumping, despite my best efforts to talk him out of it. Got some speedboat racing in there. Nothing big league, but he kicked ass in the beginner's races and I manage to hang on hard enough to stay in the damn boat. Pretty good ranking for not having studied or practiced their system of controls. I swear, though, I'm going to be gray before I'm forty!" he griped.

Nyota laughed. "And you love him for it."

"Yes, I do. And what about you two? Feel like you've had a vacation?"

"Oh, yes," Nyota said happily. "Saw a  _lot_  of museums, did a lot of walking along the beach. Did some shopping. I'll leave my adrenaline rushes to when we're on duty, thanks."

McCoy squeezed her hand. "You and I should take our own vacations together. Where it's safe and quiet and we can fall asleep in our chairs from the lack of adrenaline."

"Deal," she said with a smile. Then she saw that something in one of the shop windows across from them and pointed to it. "I was in there, doing some gift shopping for my relatives while Spock was at the Vulcan Embassy paying his respects."

She let go of his hand and walked across the mall area to the shaded front of a store with a large window.

"Looks like another pawn shop," he remarked, following her.

"It is," she replied. "But let me show you something."

She dragged him inside, and McCoy found himself in a narrow but deep room. It was a bit dim, but stacked floor to ceiling with various items of furniture, pictures, wall hangings and knick-knacks of various colors, styles, and origins. It all smelled of age and dust and other people's homes.

At the very back, behind a glass counter, an elderly Risian looked up from his needlework, smiled and nodded at them, then went back to his craft. Nyota pulled McCoy to a spot in the middle of the old-fashioned glass case.

"See," she pointed. "It's from Vulcan."

McCoy looked at the figure propped up behind the glass. It was a carving of a bear-like creature with two large fangs. It was carved from some kind of dark, densely fibrous material, and was roughly six by four inches. Two small, bluish jewels were inlaid for the eyes. It was finely done, and McCoy would have sworn he could see that each individual hair was carefully and painstakingly carved.

"It's a carving of a sehlat. A type of pet Spock had as a child." She sighed. "I wanted to get it for him, but…" she tapped on the glass and McCoy took a closer look at it, including the price tag which was listed in Standard credits."

"Ouch!" he exclaimed. "Is it really  _that_  old?"

"Just a few centuries, actually," she replied. "But with Vulcan gone, every item their people left behind on other planets, or things others had just collected as a hobby, are now worth their weight in gold-pressed latinum."

"Yeah, I can see why. What a shame." He looked over at her. "And you wanted to give it to Spock?"

"Well, he  _is_  a bit hard to buy for. And they don't celebrate birthdays. At least, not their own. He could accept it as a Christmas present, but…" she sighed and pushed away from the counter. "I don’t have that much put away, and they don't take credit. I'm hoping I'll run across something else before then, or we get to come back here. A few more months and I'll have enough saved."

McCoy knew Nyota had family back home she sent credits to. She wasn't totally frugal, but neither was she a spendthrift. Her purchases were few but were of very good quality. The bigger splurges were things that would last and meant something to her or her family. Things that would last long enough to be given to her grandchildren someday.

"How much are you short?"

Nyota looked up at him in surprise and studied his face. Then she smiled sadly and shook her head. "Oh, no. I didn't bring you here to pick your pocket, Len. I just wanted you to see it."

"I  _know_." As she turned away, he grabbed her arm gently. "Oh, no you don’t."

"Len—"

"I mean it," McCoy said kindly. "Seriously. Jim insisted on paying for this whole vacation, why I don't know, so I've got more than enough to lend you."

"I wouldn't want to take advantage," she insisted.

"What advantage?" McCoy asked. "You pay me back, whenever, and we'll be even. Heck, I may need to borrow some off of you, someday, depending on where Jim and I get to take our next vacation. That'll be my treat and who knows what kind of mischief my boy-toy will get up to. You may have to post bail."

She laughed. Then she asked uncertainly, "You sure?"

"Don't be stupid," McCoy said. He turned and signaled the storekeeper. "We'd like to make a purchase, please." Something caught his eye as he did so. High up on a wall, among all the other items that had found their way to the shop, was an old-fashioned, Terran acoustic guitar. He felt his smile grow even bigger. "And  _that_. I'd like to see  _that_  as well."

He put an arm around Nyota's shoulders and whispered, "Actually, I'm not kidding about the bail part."

"I know, Len," she said sympathetically, putting her arm around his waist. "I know."

 

***

 

Jim Kirk sighed as he pushed back from the dinner table. It had been a wonderful meal. The food perfectly delicious, the wine a great choice for the meal. The conversation lively and happy.

Spock, Uhura, and McCoy had just finished their dinners as well. Jim and McCoy had packed their things and sent them back to the ship, then checked out. They all four had decided on one last meal on the beach before they headed back together. They'd found a small but elegant dining establishment in a beautiful spot with beach seating. A large palm-like plant shaded their table, and they were able to watch from a distance as other tourists spent the last of the afternoon frolicking in the water. Jim loved to see and hear the children playing. It made him feel like a kid who wanted to join in.

_I can see why people want to live like this forever,_ he thought happily.  _Safe and sound, with friends and loved ones, in beautiful surroundings. But it never lasts. It wouldn't feel as special as it does unless you know what it's like to be without it. That's why you enjoy the hell out of it while you can._

He smiled at the other three. "So, successful holiday?"

"Yes, Jim," Spock said, clearly just catching himself from calling Jim  _Captain_. "I find myself feeling very refreshed and ready for duty."

"It's been great," Uhura said, smiling. "That is, after all the commotion in the gardens got squared away."

"It'll do," McCoy said with a satisfied sigh as he leaned back in his chair and finished his wine.

"You know, you two--" Jim motioned with his glass, indicating Spock and McCoy, "really need to let your hair down more and stop worrying so much. You—" he indicated McCoy. "I  _know_  are always packing for bear, and I've about given up on you. But you—" he waved the glass back over to Spock. "You really think I expected you to have memorized the whole subterranean layout of some pleasure gardens we were just going to visit for an hour and a half while on shore leave?"

Jim finished his wine and watched as Spock managed to look a bit embarrassed without actually changing his expression much.

"It would have been helpful information at the time," Spock said.

"Yes, but it also would have been weird. Seriously, Spock, you need to learn to relax more. After all, you don't want to end up like McCoy, who's got a  _huge_ stick up his ass."

McCoy looked at Jim sharply and set his glass down carefully. His tone was just as controlled. "Jim Kirk, in what universe do you think that insulting me like that ends up with you getting laid anytime soon?"

"You're right, Bones. I misspoke," he said apologetically. Jim got up out of his chair and walked behind McCoy. He leaned down to put his hands on McCoy's shoulders, giving them a squeeze. "I meant to say  _pole_. That huge friggin'  _pole_  up your ass."

As soon as the last word left his mouth, McCoy moved. Jim burst into action, turning and sprinting away and down the beach toward the water. He could hear Uhura's amused laughter and the sound of McCoy's feet pounding the sand, not far behind him. He made it to thigh deep water before stopping. He threw out his arms and turned around. McCoy was at the edge of the water, just like Jim knew he'd be.

"Kid, don't make this worse," McCoy demanded loudly, pointing a finger at Jim. McCoy's face was struggling to be stern, but his eyes were happy. "You come out of there and take your medicine like a man.  _Do not_ make me sit in wet clothes all the way up to the ship."

Jim laughed, feeling young and brash with the sun hot on his face and the sea breeze ruffling his hair. He felt immortal. "Come  _with_  me, Old Man." He turned and dove into the surf, trying to swim as far and fast as he could. In a moment, he was in deeper water, where neither of them could stand.

Still swimming, and with his head under water, he held his mouth in a tight-lipped grin as he felt McCoy's hand close around his ankle.

Bones  _had_  come with him. Just like he knew he would.

 

 


End file.
